Cotton-picker&#39;s truck.



No. 667,370. Patented Feb. 5, I90l.

c. c. sownzn.

COTTON PlGKERS-TRUGK.

(Apphcatxon filed Aug 20 1900 (No Iodel.)

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CHRISTOPHER O. SOWDER, OF MODERMOTT, INDIAN TERRITORY.

COTTON-PICKERS TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,370, dated February5, 1901. Application filed August 20, 1900. Serial No. 27,400. kllomodel.)

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER O. Sow- DER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at McDermott, Creek Nation, Indian Territory, haveinvented a new and useful Cotton- Pickers Truck, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to cotton pickers trucks, and one object is toproduce a machine of this character whereby the operator is relieved ofconsiderable labor and the operation of picking cotton consequentlyfacilitated.

A further object is to produce a machine of this character having aswinging frame or loop to hold the mouth of the bag distended to providea support for one end of the bag to facilitate and render easy itstransportation.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple,strong, durable, and cheap construction.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiarfeatures of construclion and combinations of parts, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understoodreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 isa perspective view of a cottonpickers truck embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a vertical section of the seat and its sup porting mechanism.

In the drawings, 1 designates the rear wheels, and 2 the rear axle.

3 designates the front wheels, arranged nearer together and of smallerdiameter than the rear wheels, and 4 the front axle.

The reach or coupling pole connecting the front and rear axles consistsof the front portion 5, secured to the middle of the front axle, and therear portion 6, secured to the rear axle and bent downward near itsfront end, as at '7, so that its front end 8 may rest snugly upon thefront portion 5, said portions being secured together by means of asleeve 9, embracing them, and pins 10, extending down through saidsleeve and the overlapping portions 5 and 8., The reach or coupling poleis braced from and connected to the rear axle by means oftheforwardlyconverging hounds 11, said hounds being connected togetherand to the reach at their front ends by the brace-piece 12.

13 designates an inverted-U-shaped frame arranged vertically over andsecured to the reach between the cross-piece 12 and the rear axle, and14 a similar inverted-U-shaped frame preferably intersecting thefirst-named frame and extending at right angles thereto, said frame 14being secured to the hounds.

15 designates the seat, swiveled to a depending stem 16, passing downthrough the points of intersection of frames 13 and 14, this arrangementpermitting the operator, seated upon the seat with his legs at oppositesides of the reach or coupling pole, to turn from side to side, andtherefore pick the cotton with the least possible fatigue and labor, theresuliiof course being the accomplishment of a greater amount of work ina given time. The seat is vertically adjustable to accommodate personsof different heights and is adapted to be secured at the desiredelevation by means of set-screw 17, binding on stem 16, or in any othersuitable manner.

To shade the operator, an umbrella 18 is secured to the back of theseat, preferably by means of set-screw 19, to admit of the verticaladjustment of the umbrella.

20 designates a pair of sleeves secured on the front axle near thewheels and provided with the upwardly-projecting arms 21, channeled intheir rear sides and provided with the outwardly-projecting arms 22. Aloop or frame, almost forming a complete circle in form and numbered 23,has its ends fitting in the channeled arms 21 and pivoted thereto, asshown at 24, so that it may be turned to a vertical position, but nofarther, because it strikes the front portion of the arms, or to ahorizontal position upon the reach or coupling, as shown by the a'rrow',Fig. 1. To normally hold this loop or frame upright, it is provided withcurved arms 25, extending concentrically of its pivot point and downthrough the outwardly-projecting arms 22 and the expansive springs 22,spirally encircling said curved arms and interposed between arms 22 andthe frame or loop. These springs are provided simply to prevent anypossibility of the frame accidentally swinging down to a horizontalposition. The frame or loop is provided with a number of hooks 26 forconvenient attachment and detachment to the bag 27 (shown in dottedlines) and to hold the mouth of the bag open.

In practice the parts are arranged as shown and the operator facestoward the rear and by pushing with his feet propels the machineforward, turning from side to side to pick the cotton, as will bereadily understood. The cotton,of course, is easily deposited in thebag, held within convenient reach of the operator, and in thisconnection it may be stated that female operators can handle thismachine as well as male, because the reach or coupling is low and doesnot interfere with the skirts. Vhen a bagful of cotton is obtained, theoperator swings the frame or loop down upon the reach and the weight ofthe cotton is sufficient to hold the same down against the resistance ofthe springs to reelevate it. In practice, too, the closed or lower endof the bag is thrown over upon the seat, in which position it can bemore readily and easily transported.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced acotton-pickers truck which embodies the features of advantage enumeratedas desirable in the statement of invention, and it is to be understoodthat while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention it is susceptible of modifications in various particularswithout involving a departure from its spirit and scope.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A cotton -pickers truck, comprising a wheeled frame, a seat thereon,and a pivoted loop or frame mounted on the front axle and porting a bagwith its mouth distended, or a A horizontal position when supporting abag in the position most convenient for transportation, said loop orframe being provided with devices to engage the mouth of the bag atintervals, and means to support said loop at an elevated position and toyield under the weight of the bag of cotton and permit the loop to swingdown upon the Wheeled frame, substantially as described.

3. A cotton-pickers truck, comprising a wheeled frame, avertically-adjustable seat thereon pivoted ,to swing from one side tothe other, and a pivoted loop or frame mounted on the front axle andadapted to occupy an upright position when supporting a bag with itsmouth distended, or a horizontal position when supporting a bag in theposition most convenient for transportation, said loop or frame beingprovided with devices to engage the mouth of the bag at intervals,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of'twowitnesses.

CHRISTOPHER C. SOWDER.

Witnesses:

O. O. HATHORN, J ESSE MCDERMOTT.

